Resilient heel



June 25, 1946. w, CR M 2,402,534

' RESILIE-NT HEEL Filed March 50, 1944 n 1 mm m H Ill "Mama",- 35101) Qwuwwto Patented June 25, 1946 UN D TATES PATENT QO C 7' Reginald Walton Crum, Arlington, Val Application-March 30, 1944; Serial No.. 528,735

12 Claims.

- This invention relates to resilient-shock absorbing cushions and particularly to resilient cushions of the multicellular type. 1 Resilient shock absorbing. cushions of this general type have many useful applications and are fairly well .known in the art but in general they are characterized by a number of disadvantages. For example, some of these prior structures depending upon their particular use are subject to excessivev wear necessitating frequent replacement and additional expense, others are structurally incapable of" withstanding the constant vibration or pounding to which they aresubjected andhence fail to perform the function intended, while still others fail to provide the resilience necessary to provide the requisite cushioning action. a While the present invention has many applications and'uses in the various arts for cushioning all manner of shock and Vibrations whether caused by machinery or otherwise, for convenience, its application and use as a rubber heel for shoes will be described and shown although it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto.

It is accordingly the chief object of the present invention to provide an improved resilient shock absorbing cushion which will correct the above and similar disadvantages which are common in the usual resilient cushions f the multi-cellular type.

A further object of the present invention is to Figure 1 is a plan view ofthe bottom or surface of the one pieceform of the heel; H a Figure 2 is a vertical. sectional vie taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and L Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 of a two piece embodiment of the invention. l

Referring now to thea awm gytnere is iuustrated at 16 a resilient heel havin integral upper and lower portions l2 and M The heel is provided with the usual nail holes l6. These holes It extend from theupper to the lower surface'oi the heel in in the'usual manner so that nailsjmay be inserted therein and driven[intothe'leather heel portion of the shoe which contactsthje upper face [8 of the resilient'heel. A m'eta'linsei t or Y washer 2a is provided within each of the holes provide a novel heel of the air cushion type wherein an improved arrangement of air chambers insures an ample structural strength for all service conditions combined with a very high degree of resilience and cushioning effect.

Another object of the provide an improved heel embodying longer wearing characteristics and greater resilience to decrease the expense of heels to a wearer while increasing his comfort.

A further object of one embodiment of the invention is to provide a novel heel structure having a detachable bottom or tread surface to eliminate the necessity of purchasing'an' entire new heel when the tread portion of the old heel has become worn. r 7

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing Ih'avedisclosedtwo embodiments of my invention. In "the drawing:

. tread stock and is provided throughout its I'd by molding itfthereinto insure that the rubber h'eel portion is firmly 'affi'xed by nailing' tothe usual leather portion (not shown) to which all heels are attached.

The lower portion M of the heel I0 is molded of tough, abrasiveresistant rubber or so-c'alled tread surface with'a series of rows of regularly'spaced tapered openingsor pockets '22 (Fig.1). Each pocket in a row is spaced from the adjacent ones about its own width to provide solid intervening blocks 24. Each of the rows of these downwardly facing openings is staggered withrespectto ad'- jacent rows for a purpose which will become-'apparent. It will be noted that the size-or thickness of-the interveningblock portions-24 is-so chosen with respect'tothe size of the pockets 22 as to insure a strong tread-structure-capable of withstanding heavy punishment during normal wear without danger of failing in its functions which will bepresently described.

The upper portion l2 of the heel i0 is molded simultaneously and integrally. with the lower portion M. The portion I2 is formed of soft resil-. ient rubber and incorporates a series o rowsof upwardly facing openings or pockets 26. .These 1 pockets 26 are notonly staggered with respect to tion to form a cushion therefor.

The structure described with its non-skid and air-entrapping openings forms an unusually durable and resilient heel due to its upper portions I2 of soft resilient rubber and lower portion Id of harder tread rubber. The staggering of the air pockets in a horizontal and vertical plane throughout the heel not only insures maximum resilience but a superior cushion for all shocks between the shoe and the ground.

When the resilient heel I 0, is .applied to, the usual leather heel 'bygluing anfdgtacking, the pockets 26 are thereby permanently closed and sealed against air leakage to form permanent air cushions for shocks transmitted thereto by the treads or blocks 24. Likewise the pockets 22 are in turn temporarily closed by contact of the heel treads 24 with the ground. Obviously any shocks transmitted by the air cushions 22 are received and again cushioned by the soft resilient rubber blocks 26 to actually effect a double cushioning structure.

Another important feature of the present invention resides in the two-way stretching action effected by the intermediate web 30 which action takes place simultaneously.

Thus when the upper block members are forced downwardly in the exercise of their normal functions against the strong horizontal web 30, the lower blocks on the opposite sides of the air spaces below these upper blocks tend to move upwardly resulting in a twoway flexing or stretching of the resilient web 30. This action, together with the double cushioning action previously described, provides an unusually strong and resilient cushion member having many applications.

The taper of the air pockets 22 not only results in a strengthened non-skid tread 24 but functions to'collect a minimum of dirt, mud, etc. therein. It will be obvious that this feature materially assists in freeing the pockets of such mud, etc. rather than in collecting it.

The form of my invention illustrated in Figure 3 is substantially identical with the form just described insofar as functions are concerned. In addition to the functions and advantages described, however, Figure 3 discloses a heel I wherein the portions I2 and I4 are molded separately and subsequently united by the usual gluing and nailing, This permits the replacement of the lower portion I4 when worn without necessitating the replacement of upper portion I2,

Provision is made for the accurate positioning of portion I4 upon portion l2 by molding an outer flange or rim 32 on the former to cooperate with a mating outer circumferential recess 34 in portion I2. If desired the lower portion I4 may be molded as shown in Figure 3 so that the pockets 22 face upwardly and are closed when portions I2 and I 4 are fitted together. In such case the taper of pockets 22 must be reversed and slight in nature so as to facilitate the withdrawal of the parts from the molds during manufacture. I

It will be noted that the nail holes I6 coincide in portions I2 and I4 while additional holes 36 are provided in the upper portion I2 to permit only portion I4 to be removed as desired.

It will be readily apparent that materials other thansoft rubber and tread rubber, but having the same characteristics may be readily substituted therefor. Moreover, in the structure described, which is of extremely light weight and uses only a'small amount of rubber, there is sufficient body thereto to permit the usual trimming of the sides 4 to enable the shoemaker to accurately and neatly fit the heel to a shoe.

The invention described has in its broader aspects valuable applications in many arts as a vibration absorber or shock cushioner. For example, the legs of machinery supports may be readily equipped with the improved cushion described to result in a materially decreased transmission of vibration to machine shop floors, etc. Similarly, other equipment such as domestic washing fmachines may be advantageously equipped with this type of cushion" to prevent slippage of the machine on the floor and to absorb any shocks or vibrations incidental to the various washing operations. For either of the above or many other applications, the cushion comprising the present invention may be readily equipped with an upper metallic mounting plate which will insure that the vibrations or shocks of the apparatus being cushioned will be distributed throughout the entire area of the cushion.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim: I

1. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portion being of soft resilient material, and said lower portion being of harder wear-resistant material, said lower portion including an upstanding circumferential flange, and said upper portion being rabbeted to receive said flange.

2. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portion being provided with upwardly facing air pockets, and said lower portion including. air pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned pockets.

3. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portion being provided with upwardly facing air pockets, and said lower portion including air pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned pockets, and said lower portion being of harder wear-resistant material.

4. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, and including air pockets staggered with respect to each other in horizontal and vertical planes to cushion shocks transmitted to said heel.

5. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, and including air pockets staggered with respect to each other in horizontal and vertical planes to cushion shocks transmitted to said heel, said upper portion being of soft resilient material, and said lower portion being of harder wear-resistant material.

6. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portions being provided with upwardly facing air pockets, and said lower portion including air pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned pockets, the air pockets in said lower portion facing downwardly to form a non-skid tread surface in the lower face thereof.

7. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portion being provided with upwardly facing air pockets, and said lower portion including upwardly facing air pockets staggeredwith respect to said first mentioned pockets, said lower por- 5 7 tion being detachable from said upper portion, and all of said air pockets being closed to form permanent air cushions upon unison of the portions and a shoe.

8. A resilient cushion of the type described comprising upper and lower multi-cellular portions, the cells in each of said portions being oppositely disposed, and the connecting blocks between said cells in one of said portions being so disposed as to be in vertical alignment with the cells of the other portion. a

9. A rubber heel of the type described, comprising upper and lower multi-cellular portions, said upper portion being of soft resilient material, said lower portion being of harder wear-resistant material, said portions including a web disposed therebetween as a backing for said cells and capable of a simultaneous multi-away stretch.

10. A resilient cushion of the type described comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portion being provided with upwardly facing air pockets and said lower portion including air pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned pockets, some of said pockets comprising 6 truncated pyramids to form a self-cleaning stirface in the lower face thereof.

11. A resilient cushion of the type described comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portions being provided with upwardly facing air pockets, and said lower portion including air pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned pockets, the air pockets in said lower portion facing downwardly to form a non-skid tread surface in the lower face thereof, some of said last mentioned pockets comprising truncated pyramids.

12. A rubber heel of the type described comprising upper and lower portions, said upper portion being provided with upwardly facing air pockets, and said lower portion including upwardly facing air pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned pockets, all of said air pockets being closed to form permanent air cushions upon unison of the portions and a shoe, the lower surface of said lower portion forming a non-skid tread surface when worn away to expose the air pockets therein.

REGINALD WALTON CRUM. 

